Old Testament 25

While still in the Sinai Desert, God told Moses and the Israelites to build a tabernacle.

The tabernacle consisted of a courtyard with a large bronze altar. This is where an animal without blemish
was sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of the Israelites. The animal was symbolic of purity. The animal
symbolically took the death that was due sinful man. It demonstrated a persons believe in God.

For more details on the sacrifice ritual, see “Point of Salvation,” pages 5-6 in the category column to the left.

Next was the bronze basin. This was where Moses, Aaron and the High Priests washed their hands and feet.
This was symbolic of being clean and pure before entering the Tent of Meeting.

In the Tent of Meeting, the first room was called the Holy Place. This room contained a golden table for thebread of presence (12 loaves represent the original 12 tribes of Israel), golden lamp stand and thealtar of incense.

For more details on the Holy Place, see “Point of Salvation,” page 8 in the category column to the left.

Through a curtain was the Most Holy Place. This room contained the Arc of the Covenant. This arc was a
rectangular shaped box made of acacia wood. The Arc contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments,Aaron’s Rod and a Pot of Mana. On top of the Arc were two Cherubim (angel) statues that faced each other.God’s Spirit dwelt between the two Cherubim statues. When Moses, Aaron or the High Priests entered this
room, they were entering the very presence of God. This is where God spoke to them.

Also, once a year, blood from the animal sin offering was sprinkled over the Arc of the Covenant. As I
mentioned in paragraph two, this was to make atonement for the death that was due sinful man.

Next week, Moses and the Israelites leave the desert and head for the promised land.